What If
by Sophie929
Summary: Greg and Tamara had just taken Henry and Rumple tries getting him back using a summoning spell, which he's never used before, and it backfires when he accidently summons a Henry from an alternate universe. One, which Emma didn't leave him, the Home Office is a real danger Peter Pan didn't make up, and there's a magic no one knew ever existed. (contains DarlingPan and Swanfire)
1. Prologue

Prologue (alternate universe) Henry Mills = David Swan

Snow was beautiful and inviting. It made you just want to jump around, laying in it as if it were some kind of light puffy cloud. He loved the snow. He loved the smell of it and feel of it when he fell backwards into a nice loose pile. Sometimes he'd wish it snow everyday so he could pretend that everyday he were soaring through the heavens, like a bird and fly away from all his problems, but he could never do that. He would never leave his mother. Emma Swan was his mother and he knows she had every reason to give him up, but didn't. He loves his mom more than anything and swears everyday to protect her, just like she does for him. They were a team, Emma and him, but he would gladly give up what they had if it meant a better life for his mom. He wasn't afraid of being alone. He was afraid of losing her... forever.

He can't lose her. He just can't.

He was sitting on a swing in the middle of an empty park when during all his mental rants, while patiently waiting for Emma to return, did he notice something moving in the corner of his eye. He did little to show any interest in the girl as she approached him, because honestly he had no interest in her, whatsoever. He didn't pretend to have a need for friends when he didn't care for them. Though he had to admit. She was very pretty and waiting for his mom was starting to get very boring. She had long red curls, bouncing rhythmically while she walked, and dark green eyes, like the color of leaves in the summer. Then he noticed her cheeks turning a nice crimson hue when he finally looked at her and he would be lying if he said it didn't make him happy. "Hi," she greeted holding out a hand. He took it, deciding it would do no harm. "My name is Payton. What's yours?"

"Henry," he answered as Payton claimed the empty swing next to him.

"So did you just move here?" She asks, playing with the bottom of her winter skirt. "I haven't seen you before." The boy just shakes his head.

"No," he answers casually sighing charmingly. He's seen it on TV and thought why not give it a try. Girls are suppose to love it. "My mom and I are just passing through."

"Oh," she says with disappointment weighing down her smile, but she quickly recovers it when she asks, "Well, where do you live? Maybe I've been there."

"We don't exactly have a place to call home yet, we just jump from one place to another."

"Is your mom a traveling salesman too?" She asks with sympathy edging playfully in her voice.

"Yeah", he lies, laughing and nodding his head like he's glad he has someone to relate to for a change, "but I don't have a dad so wherever she goes, I go."

She laughs with him, "I totally know what you mean. We just moved here last year. It's weird staying in one place."

It was then he felt a twinge of jealousy, small but significant enough for Payton to catch. Her smile begins to droop a little, but the boy doesn't notice it. Instead he looks at her, his eyes dulling and his mind goes some place else, an alternative world where life was better. "Must be nice," he whispers. He smiles again to reassure her and it works. She puts her hand on his and gives it a squeeze.

"Hey Kid!"

Coming back to reality, for a moment the boy didn't recognize the voice coming from behind him as he jerked his head toward it. Emma was waving at him from the parking lot and he felt like he had just woke up from a dream.

"C'mon Kid it's time to go," she says and he hesitates a little. This is why he doesn't make any friends, because he knows he can't keep them so what's the point in making them. Realizing Payton was still holding his hand, he pulled away like her touch burned him.

"Sorry," he says, quickly getting up from his seat, "Gotta go. Don't want to hit that traffic."

She was not stupid. She could hear the urgency in his voice, but she liked him. She knew he was special and wanted to see him again. So she pulled up her hands, signally him to stop as she said just as quickly, "Umm okay but at least let me give you my phone number. We could keep in touch." He knows he shouldn't, he knows it's just going to make him feel worse but he's afraid she might fight him so he just pats his pockets looking for paper. She laughs at him, realizing he had none and instead she took his arm, pulling up his sleeve. "Here," she says writing largely with permanent marker.

The ink feels cold on his skin and it tickles a little when she makes the long strokes with the tip. Now his face was a deep crimson hue and he prayed she didn't notice. "There," she says once she's done, seizing his eyes with her own. "Call me okay?"

He just nods his head, turning away his gaze.

"C'mon!" Emma urges impatiently and he slips right out of her grasp, pulling his sleeve down and covering the new marks.

"Bye," he says turning to leave.

Payton smiles, "Bye!"

As he approached Emma, she is smiling at her son proudly and it embarrasses him. "Can we just go," he urges.

"Sure," she says directing him toward the car, "So. Did you give her your real name?"

"What do you think?"

...

They were in the car and he was just done telling Emma the whole store. "Henry?" she asks with a nurturing tone, "You said your name was 'Henry'?"

"Yeah what's wrong with it?" he asks trying to rub off the ink with his saliva.

"What's wrong with your name?"

"Nothing I just think, I shouldn't tell people my real name."

"Well," Emma says turning back to the road, "I kind of like 'Henry'. Maybe I should have named you that instead of David."

He doesn't listen. Instead he keeps trying to rub the ink off his arm, with no in large globs, slowly oozing for his lips, like a clear jelly. Finally Emma had enough of it. "You know what, that is sooo gross! I mean seriously! What are you trying to do?"

"That girl wrote her number on my arm," David answered.

"Ooo! You mean at the park? She was pretty! Don't you think?"

"Does it matter? I'm not going to call her." He spits another glob on his arm.

"Okay- Stop it!" she scolds, slapping his arm away from his mouth, "You can wash it off when we get to the restaurant. They have this amazing new invention there called soap."

David sticks his tongue at her.

"What are you hungry for anyway," she asks, glancing back at her son every now and then, "You know, besides your ...arm?"

He takes a moment to think about it, his eyes momentarily gazing out the window. "I don't know Mom. What are you craving?"

"Oh no! We're not doing this again. For once you are going to give me a real answer. I'm craving whatever you're craving, so," she pauses turning her head away from the road once she is stopped by a red light. Emma bent down, touching her nose to his. David was unable to hold back as smile as he tries to lean away from her unsuccessfully. "What do you want to eat David?"

"Well pancakes do sound amazing, right now," he finally admitted quietly.

Feeling victorious, Emma drove away once the light turned green. "Denny's it is!"

It was then David was reminded why he never liked asking for anything. They don't always have the money to spend and even if they did, they would have no where to store it. He wasn't lying to that girl when he said he and his mom were constantly on the road, but he also wasn't telling the truth either. Yes he was constantly on the road, but it wasn't because of his mother's job (or jobs because they can't stay in one place long enough to keep it), it was because they are constantly on the run. Like crooks trying to escape the law, but they didn't do anything wrong. At first he and Emma were just looking for Neal. She thought he had a right to know about David, and David had a right to meet him, but then these government looking guys in black suits, carrying shiny pistols started chasing them.

David was still feeling a bit shaky from when they caught them, too. It was about a week ago but felt like it was only mere hours since it happened. Long story short, they were taken to this underground prison like place in Texas and if it weren't for one of the other prisoners they were holding, helping them escape, they probably wouldn't have. "Maybe it was a good thing we didn't find Dad." David's voice was a soft whisper. He didn't mean for Emma to hear it but she did and thankfully she didn't say anything at all, silently agreeing with him.

Stein Industries

New York

Franklin Stein was a terrifying is a darkness in his eyes, familiar to those who have seen monsters in their dreams and as he walks stiffly, his back as straight as a ruler, he watches everyone around him with a keen sense of awareness. Nothing around him goes without notice. He's a male version of Cruella Deville, he hunts down things he wants with his spider like hands, his fingers like it's many legs. The only difference is, he always gets what he wants, so when he heard someone lost something he has been looking for, for twenty-eight years, you could feel something around him. It's cold and it's dangerously sharp and an old instinct you never knew you had, screams at you to GET OUT!

Charles Igor should have listened to his. Before he even told Stein, he was sure he was going to be blamed. He has assisted Stein for years but this is the first time he truly failed had it. The heart was in his possession but the owner's loved one wouldn't let them have it and took it away before it could be properly delivered. If Stein would blame anyone, it would infact be fair to blame Charles. He blamed himself, but pity is not a familiar emotion for Mr. Stein and failure is not something he handles lightly.

"What do you mean we lost it!" Franklin bellowed furiously. He slammed his fists on his desk, Charles flinching in the process. "You promised me no failure. That's what you said!"

"Yes well we have just made a few... miscalculations," Charles answered, trying to keep his cool, but the tension didn't allow it.

Franklin inhaled deeply, his eyes still as sharp and as menacing as a sharks. "What kind of miscalculation?"

"Well the boy seems to have magic too," Charles explained, "and we didn't think-"

"Wait, wait!" Franklin laughed, a dry humorless laugh while he pinched the bridge of his nose tight. "We knew she was his mother and she had magic." This was not a question and he felt his precious time dimensioning. Frustration amplifying his voice as his point became more clear, "and you didn't think He'd Have MAGIC TOO!?"

"Now that you say it out loud. It does sound a bit-"

SLAM!

Franklin grabs the front of Charles collar, slamming his head to the desk, pushing it harder and harder down on Igor's head until the tips of Franklin's nails are white. "Bring me to him," Franklin whispered as Igor struggled under the force. "I know he helped."

Finally Franklin releases Igor as he slipped to the floor, gasping for air. Igor took a moment to catch his breath as he wobbled to the door, "Right away… s-sir."

Stein Industries's main office is actually made up of two buildings. One of them is a decoy building. It stands 50 stories high and 778 feet up. It makes deals for selling household appliances and organizing charity funds, but what they really pride themselves for, are investing in new ideas for the future. Saying it's "America's new way of living!" but in the ghettos of New Orleans is a seemingly harmless 2 story building "for" the mentally unbalanced. To the public it is seen as "Franklin Stein Psychiatric Recovery Center." One of the best Mental Hospitals the world has ever seen, but what they don't see is the secret underground levels reaching about 10 stories. That's the real main office, they cleverly named "The Home Office"

In the Home Office they keep captured magical creatures, develop weapons and create anti-magical devices. The one Franklin Stein is looking for is in the cells, at the very bottom of the building, the last floor, so escape is nearly impossible. But only nearly. To everyone, his name was Michael and he was a tall man, with greying dark brown hair, though his face still looked fairly young because he lacked wrinkles under his eyes and around his mouth. The only visibly aged feature were in his eyes. They were dark blue and dull, like the wear and tear of beautiful but delicate gem, their shine dimmed over time. He clutched the bars of his cell tightly, feeling something clenched in his stomach, because he knew… they were coming for him.

…

David had just ordered apple pancakes and a side of over easy fried eggs. He also ordered coffee, but Emma whispered to the waiter, when he got up to wash off the ink from his arm, to give him decaf. Emma ordered hot chocolate, she was tired of coffee and wanted something a bit sweeter. She also ordered a lumberjack omelette. By the time David made it back, he showed his now very clean arm, leaving only a very faded mark left behind. Emma smiled at him proudly. "See! I told you soap is amazing." David just smiled lazily at her, his enthusiasm diminished. She looked solemnly at her son, "Why didn't you just call her?"

"I don't want to chance getting anyone else involved in…whatever it is they want from us." He looked at his mother sadly. "What did they want from us?"

Emma's eyes met her son's, looking for any sign of humor or sarcasm and she found none. Raising an eyebrow she leaned on one elbow, "What do you think?" and with a wave of her hand she refilled his cup of coffee, as if out of thin air and sheer will power, the liquid impossibly rose until it was an inch away from the lip of the mug. David nodded. Magic. Emma had discovered it years ago when she was in jail, but David grew up with it, like an extra limb, or sixth sense, it was always with him. Though it was VERY clear Emma possess more skill and power when she used it. She doesn't like using it though. It seems as if it only brings her trouble.

"Mom? Promise me you'll never leave?"

The request seemed so scared and innocent, it was as if he had become younger in a matter of seconds. It still didn't stop Emma of looking at her son in total shock, grasping his hand, she gave it a tight squeeze and he squeezed it back. "Of course I won't. Why would you ask me that?"

"Those guys won't stop, will they? They'll just keep coming and coming until they catch us. I have a horrible feeling, whatever they wanted, whatever we have, they'll kill us to get it. Mom, they will kill us."

"David they will never get to you-"

"I'm not worried about me!" he nearly yelled. People turn and wonder what was the commotion, even some of the waiters. Emma pointed at him, subconsciously telling him to lower his voice. David nodded, sharing her sheeply gaze.

"David I'll never leave you," she whispered, "Not if I can help it."

"What if you can't help it?" he asks, "Do you promise you'll never leave me?"

Emma stared at him. She didn't know what to say. He was basically asking her to never die, but she can't promise that. So instead she lifts the corners of her mouth, reassuring him. "I promise you'll never be alone."

…

"AGH!" Michael grunts as Stein's fists impacts his face. Michael could hear his ears ringing, the sweat and blood drips from his chin and his nose. They've been going at it for hours. Franklin had others to do the job for him, but lost his patience and started trying to beat the answer out of him himself.

"You can't keep this up forever," Franklin says, trying to catch his breath. Michael was silent. He stayed motionless on the floor, hoping that if he just didn't think about it, or pretended he was dead, he would feel like he was. Sadly it did not work. Grasping the collar of Michael's shirt, Franklin pulls him up off his knees, "I'm going to ask you one. More. Time. Where is it!?"

Taking all the little energy he has left, Michael looks up at him. His vision is blurred and he could barely hear him through his shot ears. A constant ringing is all he could hear but he knows exactly what he wants. He's been protecting hearts like Emma's for hundreds of years. He'll be damned if he was just going to hand it over now. "You're going to have to kill me."

Stein stares at him stoically as he shrugs his shoulders and drops Michael to the floor, like a sack of rice. He was tired of playing games, tired of asking the same old question. "So be it."

…

Three Days Later…

New York

Motel 6

David woke abruptedly, sweat dripping from his chin and he gripped the bed sheets as if he were holding on to dear life. From across the room, he see's his mother sleeping peacefully. Silently envying her, David pulled off the covers and walked to the balcony. It was cold outside, but he preferred it. He thought about Payton and wondered what she was doing. He remembers reading books and watching movies, explaining how girls usually leave their numbers to boys they really liked and how they would even stay by the phone all night and wait for them. David prays she doesn't. He wants her to live well and good and not like his mother. Emma didn't lie to him. She told him how Neal left her and made her pay for his crime. Honestly, the very idea makes him shake with anger, and rage silently into the night. How could any one do that to someone, especially to someone they loved. Emma still believes he loves her, but David can't see how. He doesn't believe it. He just couldn't leave someone he loved.

He didn't love Payton. That's why he was able to leave her, though she was very pretty and sweet and smart. Looking down at his arm, he can still make out the numbers. He picked up the motel phone and took it outside, dialing the numbers, but froze before he could press talk. What was he doing? He couldn't drag her into his mess. Pressing End he let the phone slip from his hands, looking down into the parking lot. That's when he see's it. Three men in black suits coming inside the motel. One looks up and David ducks praying he didn't seem him. David crawls back to his room and runs to his mom's bed side.

"Mom!" he whispers loudly, "Mom!"

"What?" Emma whines, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"They're here."

"What?" she says more urgently.

"We gotta go!"

Emma nods before throwing off her covers and helping David pack whatever they needed. Slowly opening the door, David see's one man in a black suit looking for something (or better 'someone'). Then the man see's him and points at David yelling, "There they are!"

Instantly David slams the door and locks it with everything available, flipping the door lock, the bolt lock, the chain lock and even leaning a chair under the knob, just to be sure. "David! What are you doing?" Emma whispers loudly at him, frustrated that he wasn't helping her.

"Sorry mom," David says normally. No use to whisper now. "But they found us."

"Quickly," Emma says, "grab your backpack! Let's go!"

They escape through the window, careful to go unseen, climbing down the wall of the second story. The bricks and fake wood was slippery from the early morning air. David was very careful, holding onto what he could with all the strength he had. Finally they reaches the ground and start running toward the car. Emma scrambled for her keys, shakily trying to push it in the keyhole. Usually David says nothing, trying to calm her, but he turns to the shadow at the corner of his eye. Seeing it, his eyes grew wide as he tugged on her sleeve unable to get the words out. "Mom?" his voice cracked in fear.

"What David?"

"Do you think you can move a little faster?"

"David I'm trying!"

Suddenly David pushed Emma to the ground hard. She felt something sharp enter her ankle, but there's no blood, no indication of a wound. Still Emma bit back the tears, as she cradled her throbbing ankle. "David what the-!?"

She saw it too. It was large and Emma doesn't know guns too well yet, but one word came to mind. Automatic. It was mounted on the railing of the balcony of their room. Just as quickly as David, she forgot about her twisted ankle and tackled her son to the ground, hiding behind the bug, silently thankful it wasn't made out of that fiberglass crap.

Like rain, it came down, destroying everything in it's path until it was nothing left but shreds. Glass windows, exploded above them, shards flying in their hair. Emma held onto her son tight, trying to cover every inch of him with her own body. Once it stopped the eleven year old counted to ten and looked up. They were reloading.

Taking, what looked like, the only open door of opportunity, David grabbed his mother's wrist and strongly dashed down the parking lot, dragging his mother from behind him. Emma protested vocally but didn't try to pull away, knowing that would be too dangerous as they were already in plain sight of the gun. David didn't listen to her. He pulled her toward the construction site on the other side of the street, praying they could give them the slip there. Once there they run inside and hid behind some large crates.

It was quiet. David had a hand over his mouth, trying to remain as silent as possible.

Suddenly the lights turn on, blinding like they've never seen the light of day. He heard clapping and he moved his hand's to Emma's squeezing it tight.

Clap! Clap! Clap!

"Well done!" a sickening familiar voice echoed. "I've got to give you credit. I wouldn't think you'd get this far. Especially you boy. I'm very impressed. You take very good care of your mother. There should be more boys like you in this world. Don't you think so Emma?" His voice is like nails to a chalk board, all David wanted to do is cover his ears and pretend this wasn't happening. They had been sooo carefull. How did he find them?

He is called Charles Igor. He's an assistant to the real monster. That monster is called Franklin Stein. They call themselves "Rein" which comes from the German word "Reinigung" which means cleaning or english for "to check or guide". Which ever definition you wish to use, it's pretty explanatory. Franklin wishes to clean magic from our world, and check and guide it. Other words, he wants it all to himself. The "Rein" division is almost like a cult, like Charles Manson promising one thing, but wants allot in return. It's non-governmental so it's like it doesn't exist. Only those who they've ever made contact with, knows they're here, and those who've ever tried to expose them to the world, have either been put in the nut house (Franklin Stein Mental Facility) or is put in jail for disturbance of the peace.

Charles Igor is one of those people Franklin brainwashed. He looks at Franklin like he's some kind of God or something and David only wonders, what the hell did he say to turn this man into Franklin's personal flying monkey? Promise of money? Power? Well whatever it was, both David and Emma know he's bad news and tend to try and hide from him. You just don't fight Charles Igor. You don't.

"It would be a shame if he was put in an orphanage and live life alone," Igor continued. "That kind of self pride is hard to find these days." David looked at his mother, watching her carefully. "Don't be stupid like your father," he said and that's when Emma began to lose it. David watch her lip quiver and a tear slid down her face. She once told him of the only family Emma knew before him or Neal. His name was James Swan and he was a mechanic in California. He was the closest thing to a father Emma knew until he disappeared. David knew Igor was trying to bait them, opening up old wounds. David won't let that happen. He'll stay strong for his mother. "What was his name? James?" David tightened his grip around his mother's wrist, and gave her a meaningful look. After a few silent seconds Igor started to sound as if he were growing impatient. "DAMN IT!" something slammed into the ground, but none of them dared to check and see what it was, Igor's voice was dangerously close. "Come out you bitch! We will find you! We will!"

Taking a deep breath David pulls his mother with him, trying to get as much distance between him and that voice. They crawl close to the floor as if slivering against the cold concrete. "I promise if you come out we'll leave your boy alone, we won't even come after him." David felt Emma stop, and in that same second he turned toward her and mouth "NO!" but Emma didn't even look at him, so David just pulled her tighter. Finally they stopped behind another giant crate and climbed inside.

David kept his eyes on his mother. "No," he whispered.

"I don't think we have a choice," Emma whispered back.

"No Mom! You promised! You promised me," he whispered a little louder than what they were comfortable with. He hates it when he cries but he could help it, large tears rolled down his cheeks as if they have been saved over the years, "You promised you would never leave if you could help it! Don't back out of our deal!"

Hurt by his words and the look on his face, Emma's voice cracks when she whispers back, "First of all, I promised that you'll never be alone! And you won't!"

"Who else do I have out there!?" He says now very angry and scared for his mother, "and don't say my father because if we were able to find him, this would be a very different situation!"

"Look! I don't plan to just hand myself over," Emma clarified. David wiped his tears, hope replenishing him. "Okay? But we need a distraction." David jumped at the idea but before he could say another word, Emma says, "I will be the distraction."

"No I'm faster they could catch you."

"David don't argue with me. I will be the distraction and you will go to our safe spot. Do you remember where it is?"

David nods.

"Good! Go to that save spot and wait for me there."

Emma was about to move before David caught her by the arm. "Wait!" David swallowed, causing his adams apple to bob. "You'll be there right? After you escape?"

Emma stared at him. She loves her son so much and she knows he loves her the same. It's almost cute. David's eleven and he's acting like such a little man. She kind of wished he was a little boy and he knew what that felt like, but considering their life and what they've been through, it just wasn't in the cards. "I will try."

Emma leaves before he could say anymore.

To his horror, once Emma was out of his sights, he heard gun shots, a scream and before he knew it, they chased her away from his position. He stayed inside the crate until he heard the last foot echoing in the construction site. Finally he counted to ten and jumped out of the crate. Looking around he notices he was alone. He moved and ran outside but then he heard it. It was a loud noise which made his heart break into two and then drop and shattered into many many pieces.

Emma screamed. He looked up and saw her on the second story of the construction site. Hiding behind a barrow, he watched her, but he couldn't hear anything. Emma was holding something. It glowed, light a flashlight in her palm.

This next part was more of a blur.

A voice yells, "NO!" and the light disappeared. Emma fell backwards, black dust like ash, flew above her and out of her hand, and Emma landed to the ground below. David didn't move.

He wanted to cry and scream and promise these men death, but he couldn't. He couldn't move, couldn't speak, he could barely breathe.

He heard the voice again. "SHIT!" and then nothing.

…

"Mom?" David managed to whisper. She was warm still, her eyes were open, looking up to the sky as if staring at something David couldn't see. "Mom?" She didn't say anything and David didn't want to admit to the cruel truth. "Mom, c'mon we have to go." Tears fell from his eyes as he tried to pick up and shake his mother awake. "Mom!" he yelled but still no answer, "MOM!"

Nothing.

He looked up in the sky as if waiting for a miracle. He tried to wake himself up pinching his arm hard but stopped after he bruised himself a deep purple. David couldn't believe it. Not even an hour ago, he had his mom. Now… now he was alone.

Reaching down, he picked up her necklace, the key chain with the swan on it, and pulled it from her neck.

_"So kid, what did you do today in school?" Emma asked, as they sat in the park. She gives his shoulder a light shove, smiling at him, but David wasn't in the mood._

_His hands were in his pockets, shuffling his feet below him, "It's father's day today. We read a story about a father giving his son a watch because it was what Dad's did."_

_Emma nodded. "Yeah I'm sorry about that, but we'll find him and he'll give you a watch then." Emma laughed trying to lighten the mood, but it didn't work._

_"Mom I'm serious! I don't have a dad and I don't like how he left you. You didn't deserve it. I don't even think I want to meet him."_

_Emma pauses, pulling out a chain from beneath her shirt. "Do you see this?" She asks. It's a silver pendent of a swan, hanging from a cheap silver chain. "Your father gave this to me before he left. That day he told me he wanted to settle down with me."_

_"Which he didn't."_

_"Look kid, with everything that's going on, you don't know if Rein found him and took him. My point is, he gave it to me out of love. When you find someone you love, or if I die or something, whichever comes first, I want you to give this to the person you want to spend the rest of your life with. Got that?"_

_David eyed the necklace, it was pretty and he did like the idea of tradition. "Okay," he smiled, "Thanks."_

He put the necklace in his pocket, shaking uncontrollably. His voice cracks, finally accepting what was ultimately the truth. "T-th-hank you." He started to walk away, his eyes still on her.

Sirens echoed through the air and David ran off. He ran as fast as he could. God knows where he was going but he just couldn't stop. He had no where to go, no one he could go to, life was now this empty black hole, and he kept getting sucked in. Angry, sad, he was both things and he could stop the hole that is tearing open in his chest. Tears fell and finally he stopped.

Holding his chest he threw himself behind a dumpster and let himself cry, wailing loudly into the sky. He hates crying but he just couldn't stop, once it started. Then something happens.

Purple smoke. Purple smoke starts coming down from out of nowhere, like thick clouds. He tries to run from it, but it has him surrounded. It envelopes him until all he see's is the smoke. He's afraid.

What's going on? What is this?

He yells, "MOM!"

...

READER'S NOTE-

**Okay guys, personally I know I'm not the best writer in the world, and this chapter might be extremely confusing so let me answer some questions. This is Henry from an alternate universe, his name is David, and Emma is still Emma. Like her decision to keep Henry, her opinion on Neal is different too. Ask any more questions if you have any. Anyway, THANK YOU FOR READING! and Please review. Love it, Hate it, Don't understand it, please communicate with me! **


	2. Chapter 1

BEFORE WE BEGIN: SHOUT OUT TO MARESSAONCE! YOU'RE AWESOME!

Chapter One: (Neverland-Our Universe) Sweet hallucinations

Neverland was known to be a place where you never grow up. It gives you everything you need to survive and sometimes, what you need turns out to be stranger than you think. Pan was a ruthless leader allot like Franklin Stein and Charles Igor, but he had a secret, he was not yet ready to share to the world. The only other person who knows this secret is Felix, but honestly that couldn't be helped. If fate would have let him, Pan would make it, so only he knew the true reason why he needs the heart of the truest believer.

Pan was in her… well in a treehouse, which he barred from the other lost boys. Everyone who comes to Neverland knows the rule to never go inside. It was one of the rules, Pan strictly enforced, but Felix doesn't listen all the times, a quality that both enrages and fills Peter with pride. He likes that his lost boys were becoming as ruthless as him, but mutiny is something he can't stand or risk. Pan felt him climbing up and in one flick of his wrist, Felix was pushed down by an invisible force. It pushed him until his back was where it belongs, on Neverland grounds. The force kept pushing him farther and farther into the dirt, holding him there, impossible for him to escape.

"What did you think you were doing?" Peter says in a sick patient sort of way, "You should know this rule better than anyone else. No one enter's 'Wendy's House' but me."

Felix grunted over the invisible pressure, still pressing down on his chest. "I'm sorry Pan but news just arrived. Good news." Pan rolled his eyes. He really didn't care today. When had things become so serious? He remembers a time when he was like their youngest members, gleefully playing about the grounds like the boys they are, like the boy he was. With so much responsibility, he feels almost… he won't even think it. He can't. Not when he's so close to his goal. "The grown ups, they found Henry. They have him and are on their way."

Pan had enough of him. He released him and turned away. "Next time you step foot up there, you will be punished." Pan wanted him to leave, it was very clear, he wanted to be alone. Felix left, hurt because he wanted to be there for Pan, but he knows he can't. Not when he's like this. There's only one who could, and as far as he knows, she is no longer there.

...

Pan waited until he was so sure he was alone, until all he heard was the moaning wind and his steady breathing. He then proceeded to pull out his sword and walk into the deep dense darkness of the wood. Only Pan could hear it. A very soft feminine voice, almost silent.

_"Malcolm?"_

Pan tries to listen very closely but, the voice begins to drift away like it was being pulled away by tides. This isn't the first time he's heard the voice and usually he could never follow it no matter what he tried, but today was different. "Who's there!?" Pan bellowed in his most commanding, most authoritative voice. No one should ever sneak up on Peter Pan. No one and if they don't know that, they're about to. Yet who ever this was, she's been doing it for days. It frustrated Pan that he couldn't find the voice and how it always managed to disappear. Walking further and further into the forest, everything began to change. Trees shrunk to their younger and healthier state, the air was more breathable, sweet almost, light shined brighter on the blooming flowers, making them glow, and that's when he saw her. It was almost as if he just stepped into a dream of some sort. It wasn't like the Neverland he made it to be, but what it used to be. She was sitting beside a river bank, taking a sip and filling her canteen. Her hair cascaded down one shoulder in waves, long soft and a dark golden color. Peter dropped his sword as he did his guard, walking toward her slowly as if any sound would frighten away the ghost.

_Crack!_

He stepped on a twig, and the noise of it echoed into the air, remaining motionless, he kept his eyes on the girl, his heart stopped the moment she turned meeting his gaze. "Malcolm," she smiled. Getting up, she brushed away dirt from her night gown. Oddly enough he didn't see dirt. Her dress glowed white, like an angel. "I've been looking all over for you. Where have you been?" she laughed walking up to him and wrapping her arms around his neck. Instinctively he held her very close, very tight. She felt real, she sounded real, but she couldn't possibly be real. She MUST be hallucination, a work of Neverland's magic. She couldn't be in his arms right now.

_Let's see if she tastes real_, Pan thought darkly, before pushing his lips to hers.

Surprised she jumped a little but not a second later, she melted into him, pulling herself impossibly closer, trying to close any gap between him. She played with the ends of his hair, on the back of his neck, and giggled as he lift her in the air and gave her a twirl. Moaning into her mouth he could feel her smile as she moved her hands to his face, cupping each cheek with both hands. After they were done he gave her feather kisses on her lips and her nose. He couldn't believe it. He just couldn't believe it. It's her. Wendy, but how. How is she awake?

"What was that for?" she asked, trying to catch her breath. Slowly she opened her eyes, blue eyes meeting green. "What's the occasion?"

Pan laughed, "Why must there be an occasion for me to kiss you? Maybe I've just missed you?"

"Missed me? but how?" she asks laughing, "I haven't gone anywhere." Wendy lowered her hands, but Pan held one to his face, still afraid she may just be a sweet hallucination. "I've always been right beside you."

"It doesn't feel that way," he whispered. "Are you really here? Is this really you?"

Wendy dropped her eyes, downcast. Her silent behavior broke Pan's heart, or at least what's left of it. "No," she said turning up her eyes back at him, "and yes. I'm apart of the island now, so I'm here but my body is still where it's always been."

Pan greedily wrapped his arm back around her waist, knowing she would probably leave soon. He wouldn't have it if he could do anything about it. For those of you who don't know (and are about to find out.) Pan and Wendy actually go way back. Way way way back. She was always there and they were always a team. Always. He does not plan on losing her now.

"Don't fret my love," he says sweetly. "All will be well again, when the boy comes." It's almost a shock to her. Wendy has only ever heard him call her that when he is most in love with her and what I mean by that is: Sometimes he only loves her a little, sometimes he loves her allot, and then sometimes (like this moment) she is the only thing he cares about, and the only thing keeping him standing up. That doesn't mean there are moments he doesn't hate her too, but no matter how much he may hate her, he never ever stopped loving her. Ever.

Still, as sweet as his words sounded, there was something about it, she didn't like. "Boy? What boy?" she furrows her brow a little, pulling away from him, "Malcolm, what are you planning?"

Pan reaches out to her, touching her face, "Wendy I can't live another day without you and I know you won't like it, but he needs to be sacrificed to save you." Suddenly the clouds above them turn dark and thick. The air begins to cool and Pan feels Wendy shaking underneath his touch.

"No Malcolm you can't! I'd rather die than let you do this," she yelled at him, pushing him away. He knew she meant it and it makes him mad.

"So you'd leave!? Leave me and break your promise again!? All because of one boy?"

"I vowed to love you and be by your side always!" she said "I didn't agree to this!"

"But you're not here! You're not!"

She stepped forward grasping his face with both hands again, touching his forehead with hers. "I'm here Malcolm. I'm right here. I've never left." her voice was patient and sweet. Pan fought back tears. He's always made a point to never cry. He hates crying, but somehow Wendy had always managed to make him cry.

"It's not the same Wendy. I can't touch you, or hear your voice. I _need_ to do this." Wendy lowers her head. She knows. Nothing she can say will ever change his mind. Maybe if it was trying to talk him out of punishing someone or the amount of danger his games held, but nothing like this. This was his own selfishness and Wendy couldn't save him from that. "Oh my bird. I promise, the blood will not be yours to bear."

She stays silent, pulling away from him yet again. Pan stood in watch, until she turned his back and he panicked, stepping forward toward her. "Don't follow me," she says, her voice beginning to crack, "You know I love you Malcolm, but I just can't watch you go through with this. I will interfere with your plans and do my best to save this boy." Pan remained silent, as they both did for a brief moment, "I'm going now and I hope you don't lose any more of your heart to this evil deed."

Pan's eyes remained on her back until he blinked…

...and then she was gone.

…

When David was six, his favorite story was Wizard of Oz. That was during the time Emma wasn't working nights and she was able to tuck him in at night and read to him. He would laugh at the cowardly lion calling him silly, and feel bad for the tin man. Emma read with so much enthusiasm, it was as if it were happening all around him. Like the house was spinning and spinning and he was in the middle of the tornado.

_"'Quick, Dorothy!" she screamed. "Run for the cellar!'"_ Emma said actually shouting in false panic. David laughed at her funny faces. _"'Then a strange thing happened.'"_

Six year old David gasps.

_"'The house whirled around two or three times and rose slowly through the air. Dorothy felt as if she were going up in a balloon.'"_ Emma then whistled as she pointed toward the ceiling. David couldn't help but follow her finger as she did it.

_"'The north and south winds met where the house stood, and made it the exact center of the cyclone. In the middle of a cyclone the air is generally still, but the great pressure of the wind on every side of the house raised it up higher and higher, until it was at the very top of the cyclone; and there it remained and was carried miles and miles away as easily as you could carry a feather.'"_

(content above which is italicized is actual content from the book "The Wonderful Wizards of Oz". Rightfully belonging to L. Frank Baum)

David laughed,_ "Can that really happen?"_

_"Can what really happen?"_

_"Can a tornado lift a house off the ground?"_ He asked her.

Emma thought about it for alittle bit and then shugged her shoulders,_ "I'm not sure. What do you think?"_

_"I think it could happen. I watch the news."_

_"Oh do you now? Well! I guess we should be careful where we travel. Wouldn't want a tornado to scoop our house up."_

_"Are we going to get a house?"_

_"I hope so,"_ she whispers thoughtfully.

_"When?"_

_"Soon."_

That was along time ago.

Now pay attention, because five years later, David finds himself in the same kind of predicament, though he wasn't in his home and he wasn't watching a cow fly by his window. It's not easy to explain what had happened to David as it was more of a blur to him but it started where we left off, with that purple smoke. Do you remember? He was in tears, his mother just died, in a way he still doesn't understand. All he can remember is her fall, how she fell two stories, backwards, onto hard concrete and then her stillness, her blonde hair laying in a small puddle of blood, and the empty expression in her eyes. Not to mention, the sound he pretends he didn't hear, when she touched the ground.

He left running, not knowing what to do, or where to go. It didn't even matter to him at the time because all he knew, all he had, had just escaped from his fingers like smoke. Through his sobs, something unusual happens. Purple smoke fell from the sky, encircling all around him.

That's where we left off.

It was thick like molasses, practically drowning him in it, leaving a bitter taste in his mouth. At first he coughed but soon it became so thick he couldn't even cough anymore. It kept getting thicker and thicker, layering itself until David couldn't even see his own nose, until all he saw wasn't smoke, but purple. The world was now a big purple void., like if space had no stars or planets, as if nothing but purple went on for miles and the pressure he felt on his chest was like nothing else. He felt like he was going to explode, when a blue light sprouted below his feet, like a light bulb, it was so bright, it practically blinded him, sucking him in like a vacuum.

This next part was like being sucked into a blue tornado, which reminded him of the Wizard of Oz. The vortex was strong and quickly picked him up, trashing him around like a rag doll. He had entered what was like a blue tunnel of light, and it was freezing. His hair and skin iced a little as he flew through it, to what felt like warp speed, he could feel himself being slowly pulled apart. His jacket was beginning to rip and freeze. It definitely wasn't enough. He felt as if he was sub zero, and as soon as he thought he was at his coldest, the end was in sight and he shot out of the tunnel like a bullet. Spit out of the tunnel, he was thrown onto hard wooded floors, shaking.

Light was now a white normal color, the color he thought light was, but it soon darkened as if shutting off slowly. Then colors molded with the darkness and the world was a blur of shapes and dark blobs. Only the blobs moved and talked. David had know idea what they were saying, as they sounded like nothing more than just muffled voices.

Right now he didn't care.

His mother just died, he was taken on a very long and strange journey, and he was exhausted. More exhausted than he's ever been. He knows later he'll wonder about the blobs and their hushed tones, but for now he'll sleep and he did, letting darkness once again take over. What else can he do?

…

As quickly as it came, it left. The whole shop was silent. Nothing but the sounds of huffing and puffing, exhaustion sang out of every adult's whole place looked like Rumple was having one of his rages, destroying everything in sight, ironically enough, he couldn't have been happier. You know the boy on the floor as David Swan, but when Rumplestiltskin turned him over, studying his face, he saw the eleven year old Henry Mills everyone knew and loved. Little do they know, the boy they held would be more of a sweet hallucination of who they were actually trying to save.

"You did it," Regina exclaimed. She stared at David with wide deer eyes, innocent and kind. Reaching for him with as much love as any good mother would have for their child. She loved Henry very much. That much was true, she just had a very funny way of showing it. Snow and Charming were there along with Blue, who insisted on supervising the whole experiment. As Snow and Charming looked at Regina proud and glad at her obvious change, Blue still looked at her with disdain and caution. "It actually worked."

"Had any doubts, dearie?" Rumple smirked handing him over to the Charmings. The grandparents held him as if saying they would never let him go ever again. Tears left their eyes as Belle helped Rumple from the floor, leading him to a chair. It was all a sweet moment. For a few minutes, there was no revenge, no hate, no memory of past mistakes. They all looked at each other and smiled contently as if they had known each other and had a friendship which lasted forever and for a short moment they were family.

Blue didn't share the heartfelt celebration. She especially watched two of the infamous characters, ironically standing by with love in their eyes for the boy, she's never seen before, that's when she saw it. It was more of a whisper but Rumple caught it and it quickly annoyed him, "Strange-" she said, but was quickly interrupted.

"I just forced open a portal and pulled Henry through it with my own magic. What could possibly be wrong now?"

"Oh nothing," she said feeling slightly embarrassed. Though she doesn't yet trust them as people, she promised Henry she'd give them a chance. "but… but Henry wasn't wearing these clothes." She pointed her finger at his black hooded vest, white shirt, faded jeans, and vans. It was true. Infact Regina has never seen these clothes before at all. They were much different than any she's ever bought him before. On his shirt she read the words Social Distortion. What the hell was a 'Social Distortion'? Still Regina didn't like her silent accusation anymore than her gaze.

"What are you his fashion critic now?" Regina asked very annoyed.

Snow took a better look and said, "No Blue's right. His clothes were definitely different." Rumple gagged at the look of approval Blue had. He knows the real reason she pointed this out.

"So what?" Regina asked, "His clothes are different. That little tirant Pan, probably made him change."

"Yes but into clothes like this?" Blue asked condescendingly. Her eyes gleamed with an ugliness, only two of them are familiar with. Snow and Charming on the other hand, are surprised she can make such an ugly face. Though it wasn't a surprise to see Blue didn't like Rumple or Regina. Though her intentions were always good, preaching to everyone about hope and bravery, forgiveness is something she's never enforced or thought was necessary under certain circumstances. So no. She hasn't forgiven them. How could she, for all that they did? Or at least that's what she thought at the time. "And any kind of change, when summoning someone, even small ones, can be very dangerous."

"How dangerous are we talking about?" Belle asked, wrapping one arm around Rumple protectively. She didn't like the way Blue was looking at him.

"Catastrophic," Blue answered.

"Okay let's not be too dramatic," Regina says. She looks at Rumple, "Worst case scenario would be what?"

Rumple sits up, cocking an eyebrow and shrugging his shoulders. "The pixy is right."

"I'm a fairy," she mildly sneers.

"Whatever," he snaps back, "My point is. Playing with the boundaries of the universe is always dangerous, as I explained before we began and there are actually two worst cases. One is, I accidentally took him from another time, Past or Future, both very dangerous concepts or…"

Rumple pauses and Regina reaches for David's hand. "Or what?"

Rumple took a moment to stare at the boy. Something wasn't right. He could feel something different about him, and that's when he knew he was right, but before he had a chance to say David's eyes flew open, he looked around the shop at unfamiliar faces. Regina welcomed him back, calling him Henry, making David's heart quicken. "Who's Henry?" David asks. Everyone goes quiet.

"Second worst case scenario is, he is not Henry," Rumple says eyes narrowing on him.

David jumps to his feet, Snow's hands falling off his shoulders in shock. Everyone then stands up, cornering the poor boy. He could feel his heart beginning to burst through his chest and his world was going dizzier. He pulls his fists, ready for a fight, "Stay back! I'm warning you!" they didn't, only got closer, reaching out for him, "Stay away from me!" He pushed through them and ran toward the door.

David pushed open the exit of the shop in desperation, the little bell making that ching! sound as he passed. "Henry, stop!" Charming yelled reaching an arm out to catch him, but it was already too late. David was gone, running through the rain as far away from the shop as possible. He ran like life depended on it, the tears still streaming down his face.

The adults watched, stunned. Slowly, one by one, each of them turned to look at Rumple besides Regina who decided to run after him. Rumple waited until she was gone before he said, "I'm not sure that's our boy dearies."

"What do you mean that's not him?" Charming demanded, "If he's not Henry then who is he? Can you tell us who he is?"

"I would," Rumple states, "But no. I'm not sure. I told all of you before I casted this spell. I've never tested it before or tried it once. It wasn't even experimental, as it was only theorized."

"So what do we do now?" Snow asks standing beside her husband, "What do we do about this?"

"We catch him," Rumple says, "We catch him before Regina…"

"Or Emma," Snow says.

Rumple stares at everyone, "Why would it matter if Emma…" suddenly it hit him like a ton of bricks, and he burst into his impish laughter, "HAHAhahaha! Emma doesn't even know we did this," the Charmings look down obviously guilty, Blue doesn't deny it. "And you call me the bad guy."

"We needed to protect Henry, as well as everyone else." Charming answered.

"Yes keep telling yourself that," Rumple smirks. Belle slaps him in the shoulder playfully, while giving him a warning glance. "Well, we better go get him!"

…

David hid in an alley. That whole scene back at the shop. It was weird. He wondered why they called him Henry, while he wondered where he was and how he got there in the first place. It was so obviously a small town. It held that innocent look like in an 80s TV shows. He hugged his knees trying to wake up from what he assumed was just a dream. He waited and he waited. After a while he was still there. "Mom?" he whispered like she was still there. He pictured her face, she was smiling at him as she drove the yellow bug. "Mom? Why did you break your promise?"

_"I didn't break any promise."_

"You said you would never leave me."

_"No David, I promised you'll never be alone."_

"But I am alone!" he shouted. He knew she wasn't really there, but he couldn't help it. He missed her. "All I had was you, now I don't even have that."

_"You don't know that. David I was an orphan, and your father is still here. You're in a whole new town too."_

"Yeah weird, Children of the Corn, town," David smirked.

_"Hey, what happened to that old talk of adventure and walking into spooky old castles. Here's your chance. Sure this place is weird and strange but that's part of the adventure. Go on David. Take a look around."_

Pulling his hood over his head, David stood up and looked at the town in a whole new light. He walked down the street of Storybrooke in the middle of the night.

READER'S NOTE:

Okay guys! Thank you for reading and all the sweet comments you left behind. You guys are awesome! I personally think I'm not the best writer and this isn't the best chapter, but I'm really happy with what you put. I hope you guys like this and please, please, please, please tell me what you think!

REVIEW!


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter Two: Family Reunion

David remembers Franklin Stein's Mental Facility, as well as he remembers his own name. Each hallway, the cold damp air, the feeling of hope slip away from you, and also the sanity. Going through the entrance of the hidden floor was like being swallowed up, the long dark hallways, flickering lights, and the distance screams, not of pain, but of… something else. He didn't know at first, what kind of sound those were, but he learned fast. As they were forced down the hallways, Emma held David against her, tight, as if holding onto him would some how save them both.

_"Shhh...shhh,"_ Emma said softly, trying to show her son some assurance and for herself. _"I got you . I'm here."_

But those words were quickly put into vain, as a man grabs David's collar, and like a dog, he was ripped out of his mother's grasp. The two reached out for each other. David desperate to get back to his mother, reaching out and screaming, _"MOM! MOM!"_

Emma did the same, trying to push away from some guards, but it did no good. They had a strong grip on her arm, and though they could hold her, they struggled. The strength of a mother, trying to protect her child, was almost too great for them to handle, and David managed on his own too. He reached out for her, eyes wild and pupils dilated and it angered him with what happens next. One guard pulled up a nightstick and forced it to fall onto one the mother's shoulder.

Emma leaped backwards in pain, pulling away from David's reach. They continue to beat her until she was on her knees. David stared in horror. _"Stop it!_ _Stop it!"_ He yelled, but it did no good. Emma was curled up into a ball, hands on her head, hands already red from the continuous harassment. David continued to scream, begging them to stop as he fought to get to her. It didn't stop.

David could never unsee that, but if he could, he would never erase it from his memory. He would always remember. REIN was an organization of monsters and someone needed to take them down. He spoke about it with his mother a couple of times, but she always refused. She said, they needed each other and he would be no use to her dead. He finally understands what she meant by it.

He broke into a gas station bathroom. Sign said for paying customers only. _Whoops!_

Locking the door behind him, he moved toward the mirror, staring at himself and boy did he look like crap. Face was tear stained, hair was messy and filled with clumps dirt, clothes were ripped and tattered looking, and scratches were all over his arms. He wondered why he looked so bad. I mean, he knows he's been through alot, but jeez. You'd think he'd just come back from war.

Turning on the faucet, he rinses his face, shivering in the only temperature it had. Cold. He washed his arms too, and hair with the hand soap, giving himself a good scrub. After he was done, he stared at himself in the mirror again and looked at his face, wet hair sticking to his forehead and continued to stare until he willed his hair to change. It shortened, like a new fresh cut, his brown hair slowly changed to blonde, as did his eyebrows.

David stared closer into the mirror and focused on his eyes. Willing the brown, to change into green. Slowly but surely he used his magic to change his appearance, until he was unrecognizable.

Leaving the bathroom, he made his way toward the road, but in his quick pace, he didn't notice the girl walking in the same direction as he, until it was too late. Their collision was just as graceful as it was clumsy. Upon seeing her, David's eyes widened, swerving his body, in attempting to avoid her, but she tripped over one of his shoes and the two fell to a loud THUMP!

"Ow!" she cried, rubbing the ache away in her elbow. "Hey! Watch where you're going-" She paused once her eyes met his.

David looked up and saw as her green eyes stared into his. He could feel his heart speed up as she leaned in close. Real close.

"Do I know you?" she asks. Immediately David starts to shake his head. "I mean I've never seen you around Storybrooke, I'm sure, but something about you feels... familiar."

As horrible as it may sound, David is used to lying to girls. He made a point to make himself invisible around them, for their own sake, so this shouldn't be a problem except, she is waaaay pretty. Way prettier than that girl he met at the park. What was her name again?

Clearing his throat he gets up, dusting the dirt off his jacket, " No I just got here. I'm just looking for a place to stay for the night. My name is Da… Henry." He cursed at himself as he didn't like choosing the name that has caused him so much trouble in the past half hour, but he said it. Now he must stick with it.

Reaching for her, to help her up, he asks, "What's your name?"

"Grace," she says, taking his hand. "You could always go to Granny's. They're a dinner and an inn. So you and your…"

"It's just me," he says sadly, "I kind of lost my mom getting here."

Grace put a hand on his shoulder sympathetically. "I'm sorry. I know how you feel. I was separated from my dad for a long time, but I found him, and I think with help, you can find your parents too."

David shook his head, "It's not that simple. You see my mom… she's" his eyes began to water and he forced it back. "She can't be found. Ever."

Grace didn't get the hint. "Sure she can!" she smiled, pulling on his arm, forcing him to walk in a certain direction, "In fact, I'll take you to the sheriff! People say she was a bounty hunter before she came to Storybrooke."

He followed. He liked this girl. She was nice and pretty and because he made himself look like someone else, those crazy people won't be able to recognize him, so sure! He'll meet this sheriff. I mean, what could it hurt anyway?

…

***** WHERE HENRY MILLS WAS*****

**"You lied to me! You work for Pan!"**

**"Actually I don't work for Pan…"**

**Henry can feel his tight breath, release**

**slowly in his chest.**

**"I am Peter Pan."**

If you haven't guessed, then let me spell it out for you. Our dear, sweet Henry Mills, unlike (in anyway) our poor, abused David Swan, was in Neverland. He was giving the greeting of a life time, being told he was to never go home and that his heart (and the rest of him) now belonged to the most terrifying boy in existence, which was only the tip of the glacier of all his soon to be problems. Despite his terrified feelings, he locked away deep, deep down, Henry put up a brave front. Staring down his fellow Lost Boys as if he had built some kind of invisible wall between them, and warned them to stay away.

Some boys tried testing the strength of his barriers, teasing him, calling him a mama's boy and mother lover, but Henry wouldn't faze. Soon, as he expected, they grew bored and they continued to play and dance. Henry stayed with his tree. He chose a large sturdy one, strong and with a good width, so he can lean on it and feel confident enough it would hold him in the night. In his mind, the tree was his. It was the only thing he could claim without having to go toe to toe with the monstrous Peter Pan, but he should have known better.

"Holding up that tree good and well?" Pan teased, giving the boy a sinister smile, which made him feel angry and compulsive. He was used to this kind of treatment, as his mother gave similar smiles when she was planning something dark, and evil. Hence her name "Evil Queen" but the difference between her and Pan was… Pan isn't his mother and the eleven year old would gladly, almost impatiently, take him down, but he wasn't a fool and he knew his family was coming for him. It's what they do. So instead, Henry gave him one in return. One he had practiced for a while now. Apparently it was a good one too, because Pan didn't like it, and took it as a challenge of some sort.

The disappointed look on his face pleased Henry as, in a way, he was challenging him. Where this recklessness had came from, not even he knew, but he cherished every second of it. "Looks like we've got a brave one here lads!" The boys cheered and slowly Henry's smile fell. He knew was going to regret that decision to challenge Peter Pan on Neverland grounds. No matter how loudly the other boys cheered, and how safe his tone may have sounded, Henry knew something was going to happen. Something that was going to test his bravery skills. "Well if you like that tree so much. Here's the game." He gestures to the tree laughing incredulously, "What ever you do, and I do mean, whatever you do…" he whips his hand, green smoke surrounding it until an apple appeared. He placed it on the boy's head and surprisingly gently pushed him back up against the tree, so he was as stiff as a board, "don't move ." Henry glared at him. "Simple enough?"

He didn't answer, as Pan turned his back and looked at the boys, sharing a similar expression as Pan, "Target practice anyone!?" The boys cheered as Henry decided now was the time to leave his safe spot and run. He didn't care where he was going, but once the boys cheer he took off, the apple falling behind him. Pan twisted his head around at the sound of crushing leaves, and see's Henry take off. "Looks like we've got a fast one, on our hands," He whispers to himself.

Fears surrounded Henry. There must be some place he could hide. Some place not even Pan can go to. He jumped through some trees, sprinting over streams, and running until his knees ached and his breath felt tight again in his chest.

The ground of Neverland was much darker than what he read. The sky was supposed to be a never ending blue, the sun was suppose to be so close, you can feel it, but never burn, there was suppose to be rainbows, leaping from one mountain to another. Not just one, but multiple. Neverland was suppose to be a happy place where you'd want to spend the rest of your life, it was suppose to be a good dream that you would never wake up from, but this was a nightmare. Where was the happy, the joy, endless fighting with pirates? It was all just stories, as was allot of the tales he heard from Storybrooke and it would be a lie if he said he wasn't disappointed. Originally, Henry's greatest hero was Peter Pan, but now, he hated him down to his core. He could smell crazy off their so called "young" leader and it stank!

Henry tried to pay attention to the forest floor, but it was as thick as the tree's bush, thick, and squashed together, so of course he didn't see the small cliff. He leaped over it, and panicked when he felt air beneath his feet, where ground was suppose to be. Unable to contain it, he let out a yell, as he tumbled to the ground, accidentally running into something hard, or should I say someone.

"Ah!" she screamed as he fell on her. Pushing him off of her she pounded a hand hard on his back, "What are you doing you little _keech_!"

***not part of the story, but I've been called that before by a very angry, very elder scottish neighbor, so if anyone can tell me what it means, please tell me.**

Henry stared at her, confused, "huh?" She had a thick scottish accent, much like his grandfather's but thicker. More than that, Henry saw she was a girl, with long dark dirty blonde hair and a slightly tanned skin, like Pan. She wore a dress that was cut off just below the knees and had blue eyes. She was a girl and he had just hurt her. A large red, angry cut fell down her face, and he prayed she didn't get that because of him. Neverland or not, "I am so sorry!"

"Well if you just looked where you were going, this wouldn've happened, you _basturt_!" He understood that word as he stared at his hands guiltily. For a moment he had forgotten the danger, until an arrow swooped down, striking the tree just inches away from his face and he heard the yelling. The girl looked toward the direction of the noise and back at Henry, "Wait… you're him aren't you? The boy Da's looking for."

Henry's eyes widened, "Wait did you say Dad?"

The girl nodded, taking hold of his hand with a strong grip, "Come with me!"

…

(Storybrooke- About an hour after David arrived)

Neal watched her in the edge of the brush. She was as motionless as the dock she sat on, staring out into the cold, slow moving bay, like a ghost. He wanted to talk to her, wanted to tell her everything was going to be okay but… he wasn't sure himself and the last time he promised her something, he ended up breaking it. Her hair moved behind her like a mermaid's tail, and he decided it was time to approach her. "Emma," he called. It was soft, but she heard it, his voice carried against the wind. She barely turned her head, refusing to look him in the eye. He knew she was still mad at him, he was kind of mad at him, but it wouldn't have been productive if she jumped after Henry alone, also, as much as he loves Henry, he loves her too and he didn't want her hurt. He couldn't protect Henry, but he was able to protect her.

Taking a seat next to her, he instinctively wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "Shhh…" he whispered, "Shh... I know." Emma leaned into him, letting the tears fall and hit his jacket. She didn't want to cry in front of him. She wasn't ready to expose herself to him again, but it felt all too natural not to. His warm arms around her, the smell of pine and cologne on his jacket, and his scratchy chin when he cuddle closer. When he kissed her forehead, that's when she decided it was too much and she leaned away from him, looking at him (more like through him, he felt).

"No Neal!" she panicked, "Stop. I don't want this right now." It sounded so horrible, but Neal knew what she meant. It took a few years to understand what Emma says when she speaks, but he still can't help but feel a little offended. He didn't let it show. "I just want our son back."

Not knowing what else to say he just kept nodding his head. "I know. I know." He looks at her and wipes her tears away. Neal pulled her into him again and she leaned in closer, feeling like she was crumbling into pieces. "Shhh…" he kept saying, "Shhh… We'll get him back."

*****WHAT EMMA KNEW THAT NO ONE ELSE DID*****

**1. She had already known about the 'Home Office'**

**2. She wasn't always an orphan, she was raised by a**

**family called the "Swans"**

**3. She's actually pretty sure the 'Home Office' is**

**the reason she had to leave her family.**

Emma never told Neal about that part of her past, and actually always did a good job at trying to forget it. She finally told Neal what happened when Tammara spilled the beans. Though it was kind of obvious she didn't join the real 'Home Office' because she didn't even know the names of the men who ran it. Their names were John and Michael Darling and they were a sick kind of man with the ambition to clean the world of all it's impurities. Impurities, meaning magic. Though, as a child, Emma didn't know why they were after her, her parents, 'the Swans' had always made a point to protect her. From what? Not even Emma is too sure. Like I said, she's made a point at trying to forget what happened, all those years ago, but she can agree, that it's time to unlock that part of her past.

She remembers a home. Pink walls, and an iron framed bed, with green covers, and bright crayola colored flowers stitched into it. She remembers a man, with dark blonde hair, like hers, and as others would say, a charming smile. She also remembers a woman, who wasn't his wife, but acted like one and came home to look after Emma and take good care of her. The next part is a bit fuzzy. It's the part when they took her away.

John or Michael, she's not sure which, but he had thick framed glasses, a heavy english accent and straight brown hair, which flopped over his forehead and barely brushed his eyebrows. He came saying that he was with child services, claiming her father wasn't honest with his paperwork. He was going to take Emma away from them. The woman held the man back, as he thrashed around, threatening to hit them, while reaching out for the little girl, who was reaching for him. The woman said that they'll fight this, but that wasn't the way to do it. At that, the girl was taken away and she never saw them again. Years later when she was old enough to go back and look for them, they weren't there and she found out they left when they were a new family with a new child, a child of their own.

As the years passed by, Emma was by herself, but she still couldn't shake the feeling someone was watching her, and they were. The 'Home Office' was closing in and Emma didn't stand a chance. When she was fourteen, and on her way to school, they forced her into a van, and tied her up. Emma woke up in a dark room, tied to a chair and gagged. A voice told her that she should have never came to this world, and that she didn't belong here. Two men walked in, with an ambitious expression burned into their eyes. Emma recognized one of them but not the other. They introduced themselves as John and Michael Darling. They told her their story about their sister who they lost because of magic and they promised that would never happen again. That's why Emma was there. They were going to destroy her…

But they didn't because Emma escaped. That's as much as she remembers. Never in a million years, had she even thought, they'd be right about her. She was magic and so that means, so is Henry, and if Greg and Tamara were really working for the 'Home Office', they were going to destroy him too, but they aren't because Emma knows. The organization is highly repulsed with magic, so they would never EVER use it, even when the situation demanded it and they used a magic bean.

After Emma was done telling Neal, he wore a solemn but angry expression. It creased his forehead until it had become, not a forehead, but a deep wrinkle. Neal let his face fall into his palms and Emma remained quiet. "So you think they're just posing as the 'Home Office'" he asks releasing his face and taking Emma's hands in his. She nods. "But why would they do that? What's the point?"

"I think it's for two reasons," she explains, "One is, they may just be saying that to push us off track, or two, Greg and Tamara put themselves in a VERY dangerous situation."

…

(Neverland)

Henry was yanked by his sleeve through the forest of Neverland. The farther he was away from the yells and shouts and whistles, Henry felt better and the more he looked around he saw something different. The trees began to look older, and prettier. Flowers seemed to multiply the farther they ran and the air seemed light and breathable. He couldn't help but notice the strange change the more they moved to the other side of the island.

"Where are you taking me?" Henry finally asked, but he only received an ugly look and a sharp tone.

"Quiet!" her voice was filled with venom. Henry couldn't help but wince at it.

He stayed quiet the rest of the way until finally they reached their destination. He couldn't help but be amazed at how strong this girl was. Henry knew he must've been around 120-125 pounds and yet she dragged him across the forest, in free flight, like deer galloping in familiar territory.

"Stop!" she said, abruptly halting, and causing Henry to run into her a little. Though he didn't know much about this girl, he now realized when she says "go", you go, so when she says "stop" you need to stop, no matter the circumstances. It's strange but he can't help but feel like she reminds him of someone, but who?

They stopped by what looked like some sort of large pool as she stared in the water she smiles and says, "Here we are." It was deep, and in the sun shined like a rainbow. Henry looked at the girls eyes and back to the pool. That's when he realized, they're going to jump in. That's a problem, because Henry doesn't kno-! "Well what are you waiting for?" she said, "Jump in!" Looking into the deep he hesitated. For some reason he trusted this girl, but there was that pesky, unignorable issue.

"I can't swim," he said finally, feeling more embarrassed once he said it out loud. She looked like she wanted to laugh but refrained to do so.

"That's okay," she says, "because our destination is down, so if you can sink better than you can swim, that may be preferable."

She pushed him toward the edge, but Henry refused. He was beginning to get mad, "Hey!" he said, "I'm not going down there."

But she only laughed at him, "Oh! Yes you are." and at that she gave him one last shove before he fell into the pool backwards. Underwater, he was paddling, breaking to the surface again and screaming for help, but the girl was no where to be found. He should not have trusted her, he thought. The next thing he knows, something is pulling him down, beneath the water again.

…

By the time Pan made it to the "pool", he curses in disgust, because he knew he couldn't follow. He throws a rock in, in false hope of it hitting them some how. He shouldn't have been so cocky, and just let that boy stand by his tree, but he can't stand it when someone doesn't enjoy Neverland as much as he, and so this is his price. Now the new question is, who helped him? Obviously it was one of the girls, but how would they know who to take unless…

He snarled under his breath, at the realization and immediately ran back to camp. He didn't even bother to tell the boys they can stop, because he was so mad. She was to blame and if he could punish her too, he would have. Wendy's house was in sight, and he didn't even bother to climb up the latter, he teleported inside, faster than he can blink, entering the dark room.

Waving his hand, he willed the candle to spark, and light instantly flooded. It's still as he left it, as she left it. The wallpaper was a light blue victorian, and the floors were a dark, almost black, cherry wood. Her bed were of white lace and grey wool, and she had a small lion paw tub, and a bookcase over stocked with books, some piling on each other. There were some dresses, casual, and plain, but her dresser were filled with long white, lace tunics, and dark brown skin tight trousers. A single pair of lace boots were placed next to her dresser, as a solid, living, breathing but unresponsive, Wendy Darling laid in bed. She had been asleep this entire time, as her soul roamed Neverland. He wished she told him, or didn't wait so long to approach him. It was selfish really, which was shocking, because Wendy was rarely selfish.

"Why?" he started angrily, "Why did yo-!?"

He threw up his hands, knowing he would receive no answer, but he must say what was on his mind, before he would explode.

"I'm trying to SAVE you!" he yelled, extremely hurt, "Why can't you see that!?"

"Because maybe I'm not the one who needs saving," her voice was as silky smooth as the day he found her by the river. He turned and saw her leaning on the frame of the door, looking around the room as if she hadn't seen it in ages. He knew she was just an illusion but it didn't matter.

"I'm not the one who has been in a coma for more than fifty years."

"Oh please, Malcolm. Don't be dramatic. Fifty years is like a blink of an eye to us," she smiled, but he didn't return it.

He wanted to yell at her, to scream at her to bring the boy back, but he knew he would be wasting his breath. The boy has to come out sometime and when he does, he'll be ready.

*****PAN AND WENDY*****

**CHANGING THE SUBJECT**

**"What do you even do?" Pan**

**"Obviously, I watch the children, and our children." Wendy**

**"Speaking of children, who did you tell to betray me? It was my Tiger Lily wasn't it?" Pan**

**"You mean Jane." Wendy scoffs in disgust, "I've always hated that name you gave her and yes. She was quite hesitant about it. You've always been her favorite."**

**Pan smiles at that.**

**"What's wrong with Tiger Lily?" Pan "I call you Bird."**

**Wendy scoffs again, "Ugh! I hate that name too. You are so horrible at naming. It should be a crime."**

**"I'm not the one who wanted to name our first born Rumple." Pan**

**"No, because you wanted to name him Stiltskins!" Wendy**

**"Who would mess with a man, with the word 'skins' in his name?" Pan**

When he left, it was night fall. He gave one last look at the tree house before he continued toward camp.

…

(Storybrooke- About the same time)

Grace led David toward the station, as he struggle to keep his new form. Magic like this wasn't easy. He did his best to keep his focus, but the more he talked to this girl, the harder it was to focus on himself. It was like trying to write the national anthem in english on paper, while singing it in french. He found out how cool this girl was. She told him about when she was separated from her father, she couldn't remember him, but always felt like something was wrong. She told him that her and her dad were like a team. David reframed to tell her, about Emma, as it would mean he was all alone, and they would probably put him in the system, which he refused to do. Also he didn't want to even think about his mom, let alone talk about her.

"So here it is," she said finally.

He saw it was an old looking building, of red brick and old chipped green paint. It didn't look run down or anything but old. "Cool," he said and he meant it. It was cool. David was a fan of old and enjoyed the simple things. He turned back toward Grace, and she smiled pointing through the glass.

"Okay so the sheriff is in there, and I really hope I see you again."she smiled and it made David blush like a red tomato, idiot.

He couldn't help but smile as he said, "Yeah. Me too."

She left him standing there, and he watched her go, staring at her for a moment, until she disappeared into the darkness.

He walked inside, brushing his new blonde locks. There was a bell sound, ching! as he entered capturing his attention for only a moment. Then he heard her, "Hi can I help you?"

"Umm, yeah I-" he stopped, because when he turned, he saw her, but just couldn't believe it. For a moment his heart stopped, and mind reeled. That was impossible. No it couldn't be. She had to have just looked, (exactly, and impossibly) like her. She had her long curls, her independent tone, and her dark brown eyes. Slowly his form had changed, until he was himself again, brown hair, brown eyes and short. He watched as her eyes widened, in just as complete shock as he was. "Mom?"

She whispers, "Henry?"

READER'S NOTE-

******Okay you guys are awesome for reading this :) I mean it and for liking it too. So I wrote this chapter a bit differently. I started reading the "Book Thief" which I HIGHLY recommend and I loved the way he wrote his stories and I wanted to give it a try. If you don't like then please tell me, or if you don't understand it, same thing. Anyway please! Review! **


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